Vaen?! Jin's eyes shoot out to the girl. She's Arael's daughter?! That guy HAS a daughter?!
It'd be an understatement to call Jin surprised. He wasn't one to judge someone for their taste in men. But, everything about her appearance—her hair, her composure—it matched his to a tea.
"Lady Elise, you knew we were coming?"
"Father had informed me of such, yes. Though..."
The girl took a gander at Jin.
"I was surprised to learn that we were going to be taking in a guest. May I inquire your name, kind sir?"
Jin gulped as he remembered what Kyle told him about greetings. He could practically feel him pointing a gun to his head screaming: "Don't mess this up".
"Amakusa. My name is Amakusa Jin."
"Amakusa..." she repeated, comitting it to memory. "I've yet to hear your family name before."
Obscurity screened Jin's face. "Is that so wrong?"
Those words flew out more sarcastic than he intended. Though, he didn't care.
He knew he shouldn't be talking out like this—but he was talking to the daughter of all his problems. There's no way he wasn't going to be snarky.
A brow twitched but she forced herself to keep smiling. "...Of course not. Simply surprised. Usually, I'd know whoever father invited."
This girl... she clearly has an ego. Why else would she be glaring at me through that smile?
"But it seems he's invited a nobody."
One with an attitude as well. Great. The spitting image of her father.
Seeing the sparks of an argument on the horizon, Kyle cut in with a sharp tone.
"Okay, that's enough."
"Hmph, Officer Kyle, ignoring this lack of manners..." She blinked at Yin before glancing back. "May I have a word with you?"
The man stared at the blonde girl for a while before turning to Yin and pointing to the doors.
"Kid, just head through the front doors up ahead. The servants will guide you to the guest room. I'll meet you there after."
Jin closed his eyes. An air of exhaustion left his mouth. "Alright then." Pressing forward, he walked past Elise, leaving one last comment. "Guess I'll be seeing around, Lady Vaen."
Elise pardoned the rude behaviour of the boy. Her impression of him wasn't quaint. But she did notice that behind the relaxed composure he held, there was pure dullness.
With the two finally alone, Elise stared up at Kyle with ice cold composure. "Well, officer Kyle, do you perhaps have an explaination for letting such a rude boy into the estate?"
"His manners are... questionable. But worry not, Lady Elise. I plan on fixing that within the next three months. Hopefully, atleast."
"Three months you say?" Elise cocked an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "You mean to say he's going to be taking the entrance exam to Halcendre Academy?"
Kyle nodded. "That'll be correct, Lady Elise."
Elise dove into deep thought before her gaze narrowed. She bit the tip of her thumb as she mentions, "I don't know what father is planning, but since you also seem to be involved, I'm willing to guess that this boy holds more importance than you are letting on."
"...I have no say in that matter."
She clicked her tongue. "I knew it."
Officer Kyle was a high-ranking and well respected enforcer. He was also her father's most reliable right-hand man.
If this man was delegated to taking care of Jin for the next three months in preparation for the entrance exam—than what kind of value did the boy have to possibly serve?
A rival? Was he meant to be motivation for me? No, that wouldn't be like father. It's got to be something else.
Looking over her shoulder, she stared at Jin who was now entering in the estate.
Amakusa... I'll have to look into him soon.
"Speaking of, since you've heard of the news, has Lord Arael returned from the academy yet?"
"The academy?" Elise ruminated. "I believe the meeting is yet to be done, so no."
Kyle hummed thoughtfully, looking back at the city. "How unfortunate. Then, he should be back by dinner."
Looks like we'll be starting tomorrow then, the man thought.
"Oh, and Lady Elise. There's one more thing..."
***
The guest room he had been guided into was large. Larger than the living room in his old house.
It was notably darker and more minimal than the mansion.
Only a bed, desk and shelf existed. Everything else was wiped sterile.
He immediately unpacked his bags, undressed down to just his shirt and pants, and jumped into the warmth of the soft matresses.
Due to living in the mansion before, he was already familiar with this level of comfort and luxury. With his head face first in the pillow, he lamented a groan.
It's been a really long day, he thought. Yet, it's barely past noon.
His eyes grew heavy. Yet something kept him from falling asleep right then and there. For him, this would probably be the best time to cry. No one would see him. Unless there was a camera hiding in this room. He wouldn't put it beneath Arael to do that much.
But he felt so numb that he couldn't cry even if he wanted to.
....What am I even doing?
Returning home felt even more impossible now. After seeing first hand just how vast Halcendre is, those emotions stirred his stomach. He could barely even remember the way to that observational lounge. Last he checked, it was at a huge tower that was too far to be seen now.
He turned barely to the clean open window that was across the room. The view of Halcendre's second layer was put on display.
"Welp, I'm here, mum," he murmurred, reaching an open hand out to the city. "Ya think I'm able to make it back? Cause, now I'm starting to get why dad never did."
Arael mentioned possible execution from just being discovered as one up here. So, clearly, Jin knew from the start it was dangerous. But, he wondered what even happens to Ordinary's who were arrested and taken up to Halcendre.
Did it mean execution for them too? Or hard manual labour?
From what he could tell so far, he didn't see a hint of Ordinary's crossing his path once. Not even as slaves—even if that was what he least expected.
Even if that was the case, the fact was, his father still managed to escape from the Vassari's clutches and go missing for a whole decade. But, if that happened, why couldn't he return home?
He could possibly still be hiding around—waiting for the right moment. But one would think after 10 years, something would've happened.
Ugh, I'm thinking too much about this...!
Since when did he start caring about finding his father? It wasn't even his job in him to begin with—it was returning home. He shouldn't be fixed on any of the "what if" scenarios and trying to figure out where—for what all he knows is a dead man—went missing. He should just focus on himself.
Letting his hand down, he stared lost. "It's so quiet..."
Back at home, he would be hearing the loud noises of his friends barging in from his window, urging him to get out of bed.
I never thought I'd be missing them already.
Hs fingers grazed the edge of fabric. It was his bag on the side of the bed. This reminded him about the thing he should've done when he came here.
"Oh, that..."
As he hunted through blind, he felt out his MP3 player and pulled it from the bag.
"So, go to settings, and scroll down to the bottom. After that, I should be able to find...." His thumb rapidly tapped the bottom buttom and stopped once he found what he was looking for. "Messages. This is it, right?"
He pressed enter and the setting screen switched to a worded format where a message was typed up with a date.
'If you finally catch this, press that signal button I told ya about - Taro'
Jin's eyes widened before his expression softened. "That guy..."
He couldn't send any messages back, but this reminded Jin that he could still be kept updated on what was happening in Osvain. That was the only good news. But it was all he needed.
The button was located directly at the bottom of the MP3 player. Next to wear the earphone jack would be placed. After he sent that planned signal, he connected his earphones and listened to a random playlist.
The song didn't matter to him, but what started playing was a soft instrumental of an acoustic guitar.
A smile crept up again, feeling the unease that burdened his head, dwindle away.
***
Knock knock.
The first thing Jin did when he heard that was ignore it. He didn't feel like getting out of bed. Especially not when he was so mentally exhausted.
However, those knocks came a second time.
"....."
Then, a third a time.
"....In a minute."
"You're seriously expecting me to believe that?"
Kyle was louder than Jin expected. Definitely not muffled or what you'd expect from someone talking from outside the door. Jin lazily turned around and saw Kyle leaning firmly against the open door.
"What's the point of knocking if ya gonna just open it," Jin yawned, his eyes squinting.
"My limit is once. Any more than that and I know you're just stalling," Kyle answered. "And don't talk while yawning. You're already hard enough to understand."
That cut Jin's yawn off, earning Kyle an irritated look. "Anyways, why are you... who's that?"
At the corner of his eyes, a silhouette stood silently behind Kyle. But now noticed, a familiar face could be found. Jin hadn't quite forgotten that distinct smile.
"We meet again, Amakusa!"
The one who piped out those words was Illaria Hera.